B.C. VOTES: Conservative Harj Dhaliwal wins Surrey-Newton, ending NDP era in riding
Published 10:36 pm Saturday, October 24, 2026
BC Conservative candidate Harj Dhaliwal has won Surrey-Newton, ending many years of NDP control of the riding.
By the end of the night, Dhaliwal captured 7,316 votes compared to NDP incumbent Jessie Sunner’s 5,461.
Political newcomer Dhaliwal, a Surrey resident for 28 years, is “a business executive, educator and community leader with extensive experience in organizational leadership, governance, public transportation and community development,” according to a bio on the Conservative party website.
The three candidates in Surrey-Newton are Harj Dhaliwal (Conservative Party), Harman Preet Singh (CentreBC) and Jessie Sunner (BC NDP, incumbent).
Last election, first-time candidate Jessie Sunner won for the NDP in 2024. Sunner, a trade unionist and human rights lawyer for the Hospital Employees’ Union, won with 7,924 votes, 1,266 more than Conservative candidate Tegjot Bal. In government she has since worked as Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.
Across B.C. on Oct. 24, voters will elect 93 MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly) including 10 in Surrey-area electoral districts, which was busy with 47 candidates in the 2026 B.C. election.